Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-05-19
COERCION CONDEMNED.
The Sentiment of a Mass Meeting
at Harper's Theatre.
Able and Patriotic Addresses by May
or BlaHding, T.. NJ. sharon. A. =.
NcGuirk. Judge SmIth. and Others
REVOLUTIONS.

Under the auspices of the Rock Island
branch of the Irish National League. a
mass meeting was held at Hsrper's
theatre last evening, to give expression
in regard to the coercion bill of the Tory
element of the British Parliament. The
stage had been appropriately decorated
for the occasion In the rear two Amer
lean flags, and the banner of Erin had
been gracefully looped about fine
Autograph of Gen. Grant, while on the
right and left sides of the stage respects
lively, were pictures of Robert Emmet
and Charles Stewart Parnell, and easels
supported hkeuesses of Wendell Phillips
aud President Cleveland. Prominent
among those occupying seats on the stage
were Mayor V. NJ. Blauding. Judge A
A. Smith. Hon. Z NJ Sharon, of Iowa
T. L. Sharon, a. p. McGuirk, and Thos.
Quinn, OF Davenport Elk Mayor Henry
Carse, J I. Kenworthy, B D. Buford,
r. Champion, and City Attorney Me-
Entry. OF this city, Congressman Gest
came in during the exercises
The meeting was called to order
by City Attorney Vim McEniry.
president of the local league
who alluded to the meeting as
having been called to discuss meas
ures which today were agitatng the
world around, and measures which every
lover of liberty must take heart and 10
terest in Mr. McEniry then introduced
MAYOR BLANDING
as presiding officer of the evening AT
ter expressing his thanks for the honor
conferred upon him. he spoke briefly but
eloquently on the object of the meeting
1t was to approve the work of Parnell
and Gladstone, and their workers in
the interest of lreland's rights of self
government. He sketched the history of
England's relations to Ireland, her cou>
tinued reign of tyranny and oppression,
and the grand efforts of Gladstone and
Parnell to amciorate the condition of a
down trodden people. There mere many
things which the speaker alluded to that
had made England great and noble
country. but her treatment of Ireland h al
| never been fair or human Ireland had
ever been treated as a conquered and
subjugated country, and her people had
never been looked upon by England as a
part and parcel of the British govern
| ment There had always been one law
| for England and another for Ireland The
meetings held in the United States to ex>
press sympathy for Ireland. were not
purely Irish meetings, rs had been assert
ed by the press of England. They were
American meetings, and representing the
sentiment of the American people for
an oppressed and abused people. The
mayor did not claim that there was drop
of Irish blood in his VEINS, yet his sym
pathes went out TO the Irish people in
their hour of trouble, as freely as if he
was an lrisbman. The long story Of
lreland's wrongs aroused every drop of
patriotic blood and manhood in every true
American. Mayor BlandIng said he was
heartily, honestly, earnestly and on all
occasions sympathizer with the OPP
pressed people of Ireland. and in their
appeals for release from their present
bondage, they should at least have the
consolation of the hopes and prayers of
the American people, for success in their
patriotic struggle. Mayor Blanding then
introduced
HON